Italian SMEs’ Sustainability Scores

Chapter 8 explores the growing emphasis on sustainability and corporate responsibility within SMEs, focusing on Italian firms. The analysis is based on a detailed survey conducted by the University of Ferrara in 2019 and 2021, assessing sustainability practices across several dimensions, including Circular Economy, patent innovations, product and process improvements, waste reduction, and labor conditions. This survey data is integrated with financial information from AIDA Bureau Van Dijk balance sheets for a nuanced analysis that extends beyond qualitative assessments. The chapter also examines the role of strategic leadership and innovation, advocating for supportive policies that foster SME growth. A mixed-method approach, using Correspondence Analysis (CA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), along with panel and quantile regression techniques, provides a comprehensive view of sustainability practices and innovation impacts among Italian SMEs.